during the war, and throughout his life, was his sense of humor and the stories he loved to tell, that he often enjoyed more than his audience. >> "lincoln": i heard tell once of a jefferson city lawyer who had a parrot that waked him each morning crying out, "today's the day the world shall end, as scripture has foretold." and one day, the lawyer shot him, for the sake of peace and quiet, i presume, thus fulfilling, for the bird at least, its prophecy. >> stahl: one of the things that i loved in the movie, several times, where he'd start... you start telling a funny story in almost inappropriate moments. >> day-lewis: right. >> stahl: and everybody rolls their eyes, "oh god, here he goes again." >> day-lewis: yeah, stanton, his secretary of war, was always apoplectic. and that... that is known, that's a historical fact, that stanton just couldn't stand him telling stories. >> "lincoln": there is one ethan allen story that i'm very partial to. >> no, you're going to tell a story. i don't believe that i can bear to listen to another one of your stories right now! >> stahl: was he just a